Driving down my street 30 minutes ago I saw a white Capri parked and said to myself, huh haven't seen one of those in Upstate NY in forever.Then I get home sit down to watch the latest retro review and.....
I cross shopped the '91 Capri with the Miata. I was 24 and just out of college. The Capri made way more sense for me as it was going to be my only car. 2+2, bigger trunk, FWD because snow, and significantly less expensive. Bought a white base model 5 spd. with the hardtop. There were only two to choose from in Cincinnati at the time. Not a true sports car but It was a great fun car for the price and time. I looked just like the blond guy in the video, same haircut and baggy '90s clothes. I drive a 987 Boxster S now, go figure.
I mean he could have said “weaklings” to include wiry-armed men and exclude stronger women. That would have been funnier, plus a comment like that would have aged better haha
"[The Mazda Miata] reminds us of British roadsters of old." Except it doesn't leak oil, the electrical equipment all works, and it starts *every time* you turn the key. Had MG or Triumph built cars like this, they'd still be selling them today. There's a reason why the Miata is still being sold damn near 30 years later.
Yup . I work for an Acura Mazda dealership and we service and sell Miatas from 1990 to current . The Miata sales are insane ! Heck we even buy 90s and early 2000s models for our used car lots and they sell before we can even prep them sometimes ! I myself own a capri and a 95 Miata and tempted to purchase this 2013 Miata we just got in .
My Triumph Spitfire started every time. Sure it occasionally took a bit tinkering at times, but it started. I had the advantage of a previous owner who replaced the entire wiring harness and some other bits. Also a handwritten, by the same owner, True Owner's Manual as he called it. Basically a troubleshooting guide. What to tap/wiggle/yell at when certain problems occurred.
gotta love john's enthusiasm for every new car. the capri filled a niche alright, but killing itself in one generation after being switched to a front drive convertible.
You got that right. The fact it is FWD is my only real beef with the Capri. Plus it isn't just a convertible because a lot of people ordered hard tops with them.
I just bought one. Turbo version found in a Barn with 68.500kms on clock. Stole it for $1.5k. I runs and drives well. And futher more I love it..! Spending about $1 k to fix up little jobs. Kim in Oz 😎
@@vetteluvnh Well..! Tinkering away. Runs well. A Few little Jobs Done. Managed to Score Brand New Wing mirrors. Still in Boxes..! Now Fitted..!! Old passengers side was Broken and Both Grey ( Sun Bleached) Also scored New Outer Door Handles from same Guy..! Same issue, yet to be fitted..! Bigger Job..!! Had a New Catalytic Con. Fitted which wasn't as Expensive as I thought it would be..! It was Rattling..! Weather in Oz a Little Gloomy at the Moment. And I confess to being a 'Fair Weather Tinkerer..!' Put 4.500 ks on it since owning her..! Haven't Fucked it up yet..! Fingers Crossed..! Thanx for the inquiry. More work will happen in the Spring. Lowing the Suspension on the Cards..!! Cheers kim 😎
@@jmorris023 he must have been a poor driver. My experience with the B6T was good but it died out quickly. The VR6 was a FAR superior engine and would be a ton if cars 1/4 mile back then.
@@marshalmagooo3899 maybe that was the case, or maybe there was some engine anomaly I didn't account for. I have to say the 0-60 they're putting out there in this video seems way slow compared to the car I remember.
He’s not wrong. It looks like three different people designed the exterior, and they weren’t on speaking terms apparently! Still, I have to say that it has aged gracefully...or maybe because I can’t remember the last time I saw one I’m feeling a little nostalgic!
I have one (93 XR2) and I love it. Sure it's wrong wheel drive, but its factory turbo, takes corners like a champ, and its unique. Everyone and their cousin has a riced out Miata...
Do they make front plow out to be worse than it is? Seriously considering picking one up in the next few weeks! I was shocked to see this just uploaded yesterday as I've been looking at prices recently.
XENO 4 x86 Plow isn’t a big deal. I haven’t taken my car autocrossing, but I have done some spirited driving on curvy back roads. On stock wheels and tires it might be an issue, especially if they are cheap all-seasons. In summary, it’s a good car as long as you don’t mind it not being the fastest most capable/comfortable car. It’s a lot of fun and there’s a good community to help if you have issues. If the price is right, I’d recommend getting one
XENO 4 x86 for that price, it better be in great condition and/or low miles. They don’t hold their value as well, and lots of people abuse them (don’t check oil, blow head gaskets, rust like crazy). I got lucky with mine, but for $2500 you could get lots of other things that will be better (depending on what you want to get from the car)
@@slowboiracer1611 x2 on what @bmwfilmz said. If you want to get into a Capri XR2, try to spend as little as possible. I've collectively spent $1500 to get a 93 XR2 and 94 XR2. The 93 ran and drove but needed some TLC. The 94 was rotted, trashed and didn't run. I kept the 94's drivetrain and parted the rest of it and brought in over $2k, which basically refunded me for both cars and then some. The 93 now needs a trans, but I've got the one from the 94 waiting to go in. I don't think I'd ever want to spend more than $1k on another XR2 unless it's a decent 92-94 with it's floors intact... and even then, I'm not going over $1600 😂😂😂
Man, That Miata MX5 was a heck of a hit from Mazda back in 90' I remember seeing news stories of people camping out at Mazda dealers the way they do now for the newest cell phones. And dealers charging close to 50% over sticker price too. Saw many hundreds of MX5's driving around in So-Cal during the early 90's but less than 2 dozen of these Capri's.
My dad was talking about that car for probably a year before it came out, but at the time of release they were doing the upcharge and waiting lists so he got a Mitsubishi Eclipse GS turbo instead, I think it was also the first year for that. Not really the same type of car, but was too young to get his reasoning. He never did end up with a Miata, but he liked them.
I looked at both in 1991. The Mazda Lotus Elan-X-Bugeye on MGB platform and the FordMazda TR7 on a chopped Escort/323 platform. Top: the Capri was a cluster. Built somewhat like the BMW 318 but you had to latch the rear and front manually. The 318/325 had just one handle latch and a spring loaded torsion back rail. The Miata was 9000% better with the Fiat spider style top and fixed back. Seats were more comfortable in the Capri. The interior a bit less cramped. Then I turned the keys and drove both. I bought the base 1990 Miata and NEVER REGRETTED IT. It was only two thousand more. Drove like a MGB/Triumph, sounded like one, shifted like one and it lasted much longer than my MGB. 250,000 miles and twenty years before I sold it to a friend. Original motor (no smoke started every day), no rebuild, original clutch.
I just stopped ,by to remember the car I once had. It was a blast to drive. There's something about under-powered sports cars that just makes them, fun.
In reply to the question in your description. I didn't even know what a Miata was until months after I bought my first Capri and the guy that sold it to me didn't even know it was turbocharged until I told him it has a Boost gauge on the dash and then he finally admitted it might have a turbo even though it was clearly visible when he had the hood opened. So I test drove it and to make a long story short I now have a few of them.
One of these came into the battery shop a while back, it looked extremely rough driven by two backwood rural Missouri types, leaking valve gaskets, and bad front brakes, but there it was...in the flesh
@@hecticerectic9588 I know, but I just thought it was funny, since these is a Mercury Capri, even though this was a rebadged Mazda. But still, thought it was funny.
@@murkle1994 Mercury Blues was written and recorded by K.C. Douglas in 1952. There were three more versions of the song over the years. Steve Miller Band-1976 David Lindley-1981 Alan Jackson-1993
I almost bought one of these in the turbo version and it only took an entire automotive forum online to talk me out of it! I still think they are cute as hell.
30 years later the Mazda Miata still here while these are rotting away in some junkyard in the south why you ask because the Miata its rear wheel drive
Miata unless you have no friends or dont care about your personal comfort is a great car, if you even gonna use the holy rwd which lets face it you wont unless you are buying it for racing or a project car and right now everybody and their grandma is doing that...not saying this ford pos thing is better but honestly its not much worse than the miata lol..
I owned one of these for 20 years, and put 300,000 miles on it before donating it. It was a blast to drive. The FWD made it very good in the wet and ice, and more practical than the Miata. Oh, and trust me, it turned many more heads than the Miata. That's just the consequence of the Miata being common.
Mustang gt or Capri? American voted and the little Merc lost. Almost the same price back then. FWD cars couldn't compete with the Mazda. I always liked the look of the Capri. I have never seen the hardtop on one of these in my life.
Not a bad looker, but definitely more of a Japanese flavor to the styling... Yeah if I didn't already know it was a Mercury I wouldn't even have a clue it was even from an American company.
@@nightmathzombieethan I gotta say there's really nothing historically Japanese about the styling of the Capri. It was ungainly, unbalanced, just dowdy. The car seemed to have no styling influences like the Miata did. It doesn't look 80's or 90's, it just looks bad and ungraceful.
Hectic Erectic that’s a pretty gay car too - but no, Miata is widely known as a rainbow warrior car. Just google Miata gay car, and you’ll literally see news articles on it. It’s a gay gay car.
I put one of those turbo engines in a 1995 Ford Aspire. Then went out and embarrassed youngsters in their little rice buckets, all the seen was an old man in an aspire sitting beside them on the line, then all they seen was my tail lights.
True story - one of them crashed into a ditch at the Ford Proving Ground in Australia after the driver tried to avoid a Kangaroo. Airbag went off too...
I had a base model Capri with an automatic I bought back in 2005 and though it was fun for cruising around in, it was woefully underpowered. It would lose speed going up even a moderate incline. Kinda scary really. And don't ask me about finding replacement parts, they don't exist
You wouldn't believe the hysteria around this car in Australia back in the 1990's. When the U.S reviews came in Ford Australia went into full defence mode and the local motoring magazines chipped in by running stories about how it wasn't so bad complete with high pressure hose test on the convertible top. The funny thing is the Laser donor car was actually pretty good.
You guys are hilarious. I was actually one of the people at the Broadmeadows assembly plant in Victoria Australia. Came over with the car in 91 through 94. Did the Motortrend Car Review in Morrow Bay and the RiverView Track and road drive. Burnished the brakes on the car shown in the LA River which FORDS leased to run cars in. The reason they were mad was the price it was 10000 dollars more in Australia. I personally knew the VINS 002200-048950. I did the FORD satellite up-link for Lincoln Mercury on how to replace a soft-top and how to fit a hardtop for FPSD in Dearborn. It mainly suffered from droopy eye or headlight failures, leaks, roof tears or poor undercarriage components including shock towers and springs. Initially they had a gummy gas issue crossing the equator with ozzie gas and no additives for gum. We were all kids recruited to build the car on a clam shell production line. QUESTIONS?
@@albear972 nope. And it seems like you don't have ANY knowledge about cars 😂 I must admit Mitsubishi used to be much cooler than nowadays but they nearly were always good cars (Galant, Lancer EVO, Eclipse, 3000GT, Montero... The list could be continued) and engines (4G63!)
@@albear972 stop fucking your cousin.. John! Mitsubishi is a hit and miss with cheaper cars burning oil in the 80s to amazing sports cars in the 90s some models are absolutely great and reliable some are complete garbage.. But gotta say better than ANY american car company lol..
Had one of these, was actually a pretty fun car. Just got made fun of for driving it because im not exactly small. Plus my gf found an ad for the car touting its rear seat as room for your purse.
Of course I had no idea of its existence! I wouldn't say it looks clumsy, I quite like the looks of the car! From the back, it resembles a '91 Lotus Elan, with its pinched rear end! But there is no way this is a 4-seater Miata, there are basic differences!
2+2 based on the Australian Ford Laser/Mazda 323 5 seater hatchback. Later Ford Australia did the Clubsprint by Tickford which was the best version and 2 seats but never exported.
There isn't much of a back seat but it is usable if the people up front move their seats forward or there is only one person in back that sits sideways.
As a miata owner, I admit this must have been a much better buy at this time of new when you compare features. But 3 things doomed this car. 1: FWD, 2: Soft suspension, 3: Soft, jiggly weak clutch & transmission
And it was ugly. It was all over the motoring press at the time that you wouldn't want to be seen in this car. The design was totally off, unbalanced and ungainly. It didn't have a prestige brand, it had no history and the design , and everything else you mentioned, doomed it.
If only the Miata had a little more room behind the driver so someone could lean the seat back for taking a nap or even lower the seat for tall drivers.
I had one of these years ago with an automatic, I bought it used, and it was the biggest turd I ever owned. could barely get out of it's own way, leaked oil, all kinds of rattles and squeeks . it wasn't even that fun to drive being a front driver. The Miata was often imitated but never duplicated
I remember these, they were horrible... FWD, strike 1. 4 cylinder, strike 2. Hideous design, strike 3. Ford should have kept the Mercury Capri as a sister car to the Mustang and made it more luxurious, like other Mercurys... Place it somewhere between the Mustang and the LSC. They already had the iconic bubble back on the fox based Capri's along with a unique front and rear fascia. Ford has an almost bottomless parts bin to reach into, this would have been easily done. I'm really not sure what the higher-ups were thinking during the 80's and early 90's...
sure is, good, quick little motor for it's time. The 2004 MX-5 (Miata in the US market) was updated and released with a Turbo in about 2004 and had exactly the same B6T motor as in this Capri
@@JDMHaze Well My mom had 1, I bought a second. Then my wife i bought one all within a year. and they all ended up being pretty crappy. 1 the engine blew at 57k Miles and i bought a 4th later in life for a spare car.
I checked Australia's carsales website. About 16 for sale with the highest price about USD $8000.00 for a 1994 Clubsprint. Not many survivors given they were everywhere in Australia in the nineties.
I bought 4 of them from Craigslist and one of them was less then two miles away so I had the previous owner drive it to my house. I bought one that had real bad tires so I had the previous owner follow me to the shop and then drive me back to his house where my car was. But my best XR2 was never on Craigslist because a friend told me he saw one for sale by a highway.
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Driving down my street 30 minutes ago I saw a white Capri parked and said to myself, huh haven't seen one of those in Upstate NY in forever.Then I get home sit down to watch the latest retro review and.....
Twilight Zone. Be careful out there.
It's telling ya to go get a Capri while they're still gettable!
@@saxongreen78 I'm good.
Me too
@@93sundance LMAO!!
The seat height adjustment lever is crazy!
jacobyo 99, a whacky design! E series Falcons had the same style of lever too.
I cross shopped the '91 Capri with the Miata. I was 24 and just out of college. The Capri made way more sense for me as it was going to be my only car. 2+2, bigger trunk, FWD because snow, and significantly less expensive. Bought a white base model 5 spd. with the hardtop. There were only two to choose from in Cincinnati at the time. Not a true sports car but It was a great fun car for the price and time. I looked just like the blond guy in the video, same haircut and baggy '90s clothes. I drive a 987 Boxster S now, go figure.
"They take a bit of muscle to use, but the women on our staff found it manageable" lmao
nikster22 today that would be considered offensive 🙄
@@kesando84 I consider it comedy.
I'm sure he was talking about the steering wheel because the steering wheels don't turn real easy.
Someone somewhere is triggered
I mean he could have said “weaklings” to include wiry-armed men and exclude stronger women. That would have been funnier, plus a comment like that would have aged better haha
"[The Mazda Miata] reminds us of British roadsters of old." Except it doesn't leak oil, the electrical equipment all works, and it starts *every time* you turn the key. Had MG or Triumph built cars like this, they'd still be selling them today. There's a reason why the Miata is still being sold damn near 30 years later.
They mean by design bro not by components used in design
Yup . I work for an Acura Mazda dealership and we service and sell Miatas from 1990 to current . The Miata sales are insane ! Heck we even buy 90s and early 2000s models for our used car lots and they sell before we can even prep them sometimes ! I myself own a capri and a 95 Miata and tempted to purchase this 2013 Miata we just got in .
Many years ago I had an MGB. My mechanic had a saying: "Edison invented the electric light, but Lucas invited the untraceable short."
Lmacneil. You forgot to mention, everything made in britain are easy to break down.
My Triumph Spitfire started every time. Sure it occasionally took a bit tinkering at times, but it started.
I had the advantage of a previous owner who replaced the entire wiring harness and some other bits. Also a handwritten, by the same owner, True Owner's Manual as he called it. Basically a troubleshooting guide. What to tap/wiggle/yell at when certain problems occurred.
My father still has one of these! He bought it new in 1994 with no A/C, Cobalt blue and auto trans. They love the thing.
i had 2 Both were total Junk
Yikes. I've never heard any good about the Automatic transmissions in Capris and just recently I heard the manual transmissions break down too.
@@horseplop9 So what broke? The power windows, the pop up headlights, the distributor, the transmission or something else.
@@RogerWittekind Trans Blew.. My Grandma actually,blew a motor in one also and she never had 1 ticket in her life.. aka Not a Speed demon
gotta love john's enthusiasm for every new car. the capri filled a niche alright, but killing itself in one generation after being switched to a front drive convertible.
You got that right. The fact it is FWD is my only real beef with the Capri. Plus it isn't just a convertible because a lot of people ordered hard tops with them.
I loved these as a kid. The 1994-only facelift especially.
Very nice and beautiful this Mercury Capri
I just bought one. Turbo version found in a Barn with 68.500kms on clock. Stole it for $1.5k. I runs and drives well. And futher more I love it..!
Spending about $1 k to fix up little jobs.
Kim in Oz 😎
7 months form you original comment. Just wondering how your barn find Capri turned out.
@@vetteluvnh Well..! Tinkering away. Runs well. A Few little Jobs Done. Managed to Score Brand New Wing mirrors. Still in Boxes..! Now Fitted..!! Old passengers side was Broken and Both Grey ( Sun Bleached)
Also scored New Outer Door Handles from same Guy..! Same issue, yet to be fitted..!
Bigger Job..!!
Had a New Catalytic Con. Fitted which wasn't as Expensive as I thought it would be..! It was Rattling..!
Weather in Oz a Little Gloomy at the Moment. And I confess to being a 'Fair Weather Tinkerer..!'
Put 4.500 ks on it since owning her..! Haven't Fucked it up yet..! Fingers Crossed..!
Thanx for the inquiry. More work will happen in the Spring.
Lowing the Suspension on the Cards..!!
Cheers kim 😎
I just bought one today, white with gray interior.
Nice
My first car was a used 91 Mercury Capri! This video brings back memories.
I love how the speedometer went up to 140 in the under powered 4 banger.
132hp in 1991 was pretty good. (I recall the Miata had 110.)
Those taillights! I remember as a kid my neighbor bought one brand new and I was fascinated by the shape of the taillights for some reason lol
Me too, still am!
That reminds me, my tail lights are getting pretty dim so I guess it is time for new bulbs.
Personally I'm more of a fan of the ones on the 94
They are pretty boss for an 80s design
@@roddydykes7053So are you big boy .
Had that car in college for a few years. The turbo was super-fast for the time. Beat my buddies vr6 Corrado at the stoplight. He was not happy.
Not 1/4 mile though.
Driven them both, not really close except right off the line
@@marshalmagooo3899 the turbo was pulling away in every gear vs the VR6, i was surprised
@@jmorris023 he must have been a poor driver. My experience with the B6T was good but it died out quickly. The VR6 was a FAR superior engine and would be a ton if cars 1/4 mile back then.
@@marshalmagooo3899 maybe that was the case, or maybe there was some engine anomaly I didn't account for. I have to say the 0-60 they're putting out there in this video seems way slow compared to the car I remember.
1:12 John: The car is cute but clumsy looking! LOL
I certainly like the looks of the '91 Capri better than the round looking Miata.
David Aubin : I once had a girlfriend like that...
He’s not wrong. It looks like three different people designed the exterior, and they weren’t on speaking terms apparently! Still, I have to say that it has aged gracefully...or maybe because I can’t remember the last time I saw one I’m feeling a little nostalgic!
My neighbor had one and that car was so much fun to drive!
I love seeing this review! I love my 1991 Mercury Capri Base 5 speed
What a gem!
I have one (93 XR2) and I love it. Sure it's wrong wheel drive, but its factory turbo, takes corners like a champ, and its unique. Everyone and their cousin has a riced out Miata...
Do they make front plow out to be worse than it is? Seriously considering picking one up in the next few weeks! I was shocked to see this just uploaded yesterday as I've been looking at prices recently.
XENO 4 x86 Plow isn’t a big deal. I haven’t taken my car autocrossing, but I have done some spirited driving on curvy back roads. On stock wheels and tires it might be an issue, especially if they are cheap all-seasons.
In summary, it’s a good car as long as you don’t mind it not being the fastest most capable/comfortable car. It’s a lot of fun and there’s a good community to help if you have issues. If the price is right, I’d recommend getting one
Good to know! In my area they're around $1000-$3000. Likely gonna purchase one in the $2,500+ range.
XENO 4 x86 for that price, it better be in great condition and/or low miles. They don’t hold their value as well, and lots of people abuse them (don’t check oil, blow head gaskets, rust like crazy). I got lucky with mine, but for $2500 you could get lots of other things that will be better (depending on what you want to get from the car)
@@slowboiracer1611 x2 on what @bmwfilmz said. If you want to get into a Capri XR2, try to spend as little as possible. I've collectively spent $1500 to get a 93 XR2 and 94 XR2. The 93 ran and drove but needed some TLC. The 94 was rotted, trashed and didn't run. I kept the 94's drivetrain and parted the rest of it and brought in over $2k, which basically refunded me for both cars and then some. The 93 now needs a trans, but I've got the one from the 94 waiting to go in.
I don't think I'd ever want to spend more than $1k on another XR2 unless it's a decent 92-94 with it's floors intact... and even then, I'm not going over $1600 😂😂😂
Man, That Miata MX5 was a heck of a hit from Mazda back in 90' I remember seeing news stories of people camping out at Mazda dealers the way they do now for the newest cell phones. And dealers charging close to 50% over sticker price too.
Saw many hundreds of MX5's driving around in So-Cal during the early 90's but less than 2 dozen of these Capri's.
Anyone camping out in a line for the newest car or cell phone should get there ass kicked wile they're waiting.
@@mrHoppedupfordI totally concur!
My dad was talking about that car for probably a year before it came out, but at the time of release they were doing the upcharge and waiting lists so he got a Mitsubishi Eclipse GS turbo instead, I think it was also the first year for that. Not really the same type of car, but was too young to get his reasoning. He never did end up with a Miata, but he liked them.
@@mrHoppedupford Lol, yeah, agreed.
@@mrHoppedupford only in bread lines, right Bernie?
I’m buying one of these tonight, very excited!
How did you like it?
I looked at both in 1991. The Mazda Lotus Elan-X-Bugeye on MGB platform and the FordMazda TR7 on a chopped Escort/323 platform.
Top: the Capri was a cluster. Built somewhat like the BMW 318 but you had to latch the rear and front manually. The 318/325 had just one handle latch and a spring loaded torsion back rail. The Miata was 9000% better with the Fiat spider style top and fixed back.
Seats were more comfortable in the Capri. The interior a bit less cramped.
Then I turned the keys and drove both.
I bought the base 1990 Miata and NEVER REGRETTED IT. It was only two thousand more. Drove like a MGB/Triumph, sounded like one, shifted like one and it lasted much longer than my MGB. 250,000 miles and twenty years before I sold it to a friend. Original motor (no smoke started every day), no rebuild, original clutch.
I haven't seen a Capri like this in years. '91 Miatas EVERYWHERE
I always thought being FWD was a non-starter for this car, totally held it back.
Dont see many in Australia either
Oddly enough I've seen more of those Capris than Miatas until recently but I need a back seat so I might never buy a Miata.
Kind of cool as a four seat convertible.
Love the styling on it too
Yes and I had to take my hard top off so I could take 2 old TVs to a recycle place.
Love these retro reviews these cars had came and went
"
Uh, what?
I had a teal ‘94 Capri and loved it. Drove it for 17 years before it came down with a terminal case of the rusties.
Looks like we're in the same boat except for I'm trying to fix mine
Ahhh the Mazda 1.6 B6 turbo! quite a cool car for the time!
Just saw one on the internet for the first time yesterday. Oh boy am I curious. Now to watch this video and reply with my honest opinion.
Hmmm not too bad 🤔 I’d like to drive a turbo version one day
@@DavidODST Being 323 based a Mazda KL V6 should be able to fit in there. Potentially a 200hp rocket NA, with nice zoom zoom noises.
I just stopped ,by to remember the car I once had. It was a blast to drive. There's something about under-powered sports cars that just makes them, fun.
In reply to the question in your description.
I didn't even know what a Miata was until months after I bought my first Capri and the guy that sold it to me didn't even know it was turbocharged until I told him it has a Boost gauge on the dash and then he finally admitted it might have a turbo even though it was clearly visible when he had the hood opened. So I test drove it and to make a long story short I now have a few of them.
One of these came into the battery shop a while back, it looked extremely rough driven by two backwood rural Missouri types, leaking valve gaskets, and bad front brakes, but there it was...in the flesh
clumsy, perhaps, but I wonder what 1991 John would think of the "crumpled paper" styled suvs & crossovers we have in 2019
Well, he's 2019 John
"I'm Gonna Buy Me a Mercury and Cruise It Up and Down the Road"- Alan Jackson.
Somehow.. i don't think he was talking about a Capri. 😂😂😂
@@hecticerectic9588 I know, but I just thought it was funny, since these is a Mercury Capri, even though this was a rebadged Mazda. But still, thought it was funny.
I think you mean Steve Miller.
@@merlesson1164 no. He's talking about Mercury Blues by Alan Jackson.
@@murkle1994 Mercury Blues was written and recorded by K.C. Douglas in 1952. There were three more versions of the song over the years.
Steve Miller Band-1976
David Lindley-1981
Alan Jackson-1993
I almost bought one of these in the turbo version and it only took an entire automotive forum online to talk me out of it!
I still think they are cute as hell.
i bought 2 Both were Junk.. You sir was smart
@@horseplop9 sometimes it takes a bruise on top of a head bump i guess. 😝😝😝😝
I had someone try talking me out of my first XR2 and I liked it so much I ended up with 3 more XR2s.
@@hecticerectic9588 exactly
A rich man's Geo Metro convertible. Nothing more
30 years later the Mazda Miata still here while these are rotting away in some junkyard in the south why you ask because the Miata its rear wheel drive
waltervila33 its called CWD AKA: Correct Wheel Drive
Miata unless you have no friends or dont care about your personal comfort is a great car, if you even gonna use the holy rwd which lets face it you wont unless you are buying it for racing or a project car and right now everybody and their grandma is doing that...not saying this ford pos thing is better but honestly its not much worse than the miata lol..
@@rikidiki8940 This "Ford pos" is a Mazda. It's basically a 323 convertible.
I wish the junkyards in this area would keep a Capri but they crush them shortly after they get one.
I owned one of these for 20 years, and put 300,000 miles on it before donating it. It was a blast to drive. The FWD made it very good in the wet and ice, and more practical than the Miata. Oh, and trust me, it turned many more heads than the Miata. That's just the consequence of the Miata being common.
..and that Mercury had nothing to do with it, but the name.
@@toyoscio Yeah. It was a Mazda 323 drive train, in an Italian (Ghia) body.
2:16 It has a voltmeter and oil pressure gauge! Wonder if Scottie Kilmer worked on these junks during his 50 years as a car mechanic...
Rev up your Capri!
Kevork Tanossian its not a Celica, so no
THEY WON'T MAKE A 1994 TOYOTA FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS SO MY LIFE SUUUUUUUUUUCKS!
-Scotty Kilmer
'Junks?' I don't understand.
Great car. Reliable. Turbo fast. Great handling. Looks good. Hardtop.
Mustang gt or Capri? American voted and the little Merc lost. Almost the same price back then. FWD cars couldn't compete with the Mazda. I always liked the look of the Capri. I have never seen the hardtop on one of these in my life.
Not a bad looker, but definitely more of a Japanese flavor to the styling... Yeah if I didn't already know it was a Mercury I wouldn't even have a clue it was even from an American company.
@@nightmathzombieethan I gotta say there's really nothing historically Japanese about the styling of the Capri. It was ungainly, unbalanced, just dowdy. The car seemed to have no styling influences like the Miata did. It doesn't look 80's or 90's, it just looks bad and ungraceful.
How high would you have to be to choose a Mercury Capri over a Mustang GT?
@@kgbeezr75 hahahahaha!
Mazda motor 😂🤣😂🤣
I had one in high school. Had lots of fun in that car. Backseat was useless unless you had legs that were paper thin.
Having ridden in a Camaro from Florida to Wisconsin and back I've concluded that the second 2 in 2+2 refers to pieces of luggage, not people.
by the mid 90's these had developed a chick car reputation
@@rodmunch69 No...i think that award goes to the VW cabriolet.
Hectic Erectic that’s a pretty gay car too - but no, Miata is widely known as a rainbow warrior car. Just google Miata gay car, and you’ll literally see news articles on it. It’s a gay gay car.
My first car! Drove it across country with a flat tire and Slime.
I put one of those turbo engines in a 1995 Ford Aspire.
Then went out and embarrassed youngsters in their little rice buckets,
all the seen was an old man in an aspire sitting beside them on the line, then all they seen was my tail lights.
Badass
i always loved that car so cute lol
Dat boi got them forces too
True story - one of them crashed into a ditch at the Ford Proving Ground in Australia after the driver tried to avoid a Kangaroo. Airbag went off too...
Lol. Glad that was one less we had to look at here in the states.
97.9 and 101.1 on the FM presets... lol 👍 love it.
I've owned an N/A and the Xr2 and loved them both. The Mazda Miata is a great car, but if you are tall, the Capri will actually fit you.
Poor John, when he finally finds a car with volt meter and oil gauge, he complains the steering wheel is in the way
I saw one of these yesterday!
"The woman on our staff found it manageable", yeah, you'd get fired for that now, how times have changed!
And we see why the Miata is still around
There are still Capris around here but the number of them on Craigslist keeps going down.
I had a base model Capri with an automatic I bought back in 2005 and though it was fun for cruising around in, it was woefully underpowered. It would lose speed going up even a moderate incline. Kinda scary really. And don't ask me about finding replacement parts, they don't exist
Actually you can still get a lot of parts for the Capri. Just google: "Modern Capri Parts"
*You guys remember when a guy could say "the women found it easy" and it didn't cost him his job..? Yeah me too.*
You wouldn't believe the hysteria around this car in Australia back in the 1990's. When the U.S reviews came in Ford Australia went into full defence mode and the local motoring magazines chipped in by running stories about how it wasn't so bad complete with high pressure hose test on the convertible top. The funny thing is the Laser donor car was actually pretty good.
You guys are hilarious. I was actually one of the people at the Broadmeadows assembly plant in Victoria Australia. Came over with the car in 91 through 94. Did the Motortrend Car Review in Morrow Bay and the RiverView Track and road drive. Burnished the brakes on the car shown in the LA River which FORDS leased to run cars in.
The reason they were mad was the price it was 10000 dollars more in Australia. I personally knew the VINS 002200-048950. I did the FORD satellite up-link for Lincoln Mercury on how to replace a soft-top and how to fit a hardtop for FPSD in Dearborn. It mainly suffered from droopy eye or headlight failures, leaks, roof tears or poor undercarriage components including shock towers and springs. Initially they had a gummy gas issue crossing the equator with ozzie gas and no additives for gum. We were all kids recruited to build the car on a clam shell production line.
QUESTIONS?
Mitsubishi Diamante please!
You can't make a request to a US car show that was filmed close to 30 years ago Igor. Also ANY Mitsubishi car is pure GARBAGE!
@@albear972 nope. And it seems like you don't have ANY knowledge about cars 😂 I must admit Mitsubishi used to be much cooler than nowadays but they nearly were always good cars (Galant, Lancer EVO, Eclipse, 3000GT, Montero... The list could be continued) and engines (4G63!)
@@albear972 stop fucking your cousin.. John! Mitsubishi is a hit and miss with cheaper cars burning oil in the 80s to amazing sports cars in the 90s some models are absolutely great and reliable some are complete garbage.. But gotta say better than ANY american car company lol..
They just posted it!
Looks like you’re in luck
Stj209 hahaha i know :D
1991 Mercury Capri XR2 is Ford Australia 2+2 convertible top in America.
Dimas Lopez-de Jesus duh
Don't forget to those that bought the hard top it is a hard top/soft top convertible and the hard top makes the soft top last longer.
Watching this n 2019 is shocking to me 😂
Lmao the Miata lives on while this faded into obscurity
This car is so cool!!
I sometimes wonder if the choice of which car to throwback to is based on what staffer's used car they are trying to sell to give the market a bump.
When I first saw this car I was trying to figure out what kind of MR2 it was, and as it turns out, it wasn’t.
Had one of these, was actually a pretty fun car. Just got made fun of for driving it because im not exactly small. Plus my gf found an ad for the car touting its rear seat as room for your purse.
Tall people can easily fit in a Capri if you move the lever on the driver's seat to lower the seat and you can't do that with a Miata.
And alas... The Capri faded into the dusty pages of history, almost never to be thought of again. Miatas tho...
Who else here after that WatchJRGo video?!?!?
This car looks factory new ready for the junkyard lol
John Doe How dare you!
🤣
I liked this car, but so tiny, despite that, I'm surprised it didn't catch on more, but occasionally, I will see one on the road.
Of course I had no idea of its existence! I wouldn't say it looks clumsy, I quite like the looks of the car! From the back, it resembles a '91 Lotus Elan, with its pinched rear end! But there is no way this is a 4-seater Miata, there are basic differences!
Owned one..never broke down.
Ah yes, the blunder from down under. At least these things were better than the Lebaron of the time?
Yes, the Capris certainly have their share of problems but they sell dirt cheap and are still a lot of fun to drive.
My how things change. A 1.6 Turbo today delivers 50 more horsepower than that. And yet this thing still has pretty contemporary performance
Its a nice sleek car, i like it. Its a shame they did not sell well.
I never knew these were available as a 4 seater, I always assumed they were 2 seater cars
2+2 based on the Australian Ford Laser/Mazda 323 5 seater hatchback. Later Ford Australia did the Clubsprint by Tickford which was the best version and 2 seats but never exported.
just googled that...never knew about that one....cool looking!
Just in case you want to throw a party in the back seats. 😂😂😂😂
There isn't much of a back seat but it is usable if the people up front move their seats forward or there is only one person in back that sits sideways.
@Motorweek, Do you have ANY reviews of 1984 Dodge Omni GLH, 1985 and 1986 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo? Or 1986-87 Dodge Omni GLH-S
Irony here is that it is a Mazda v. Mazda. The Capri was really just a rebadged and roof chop of the Mazda 323!
Well not to many people knows
Ford own's 49% of Mazda at that time. That's why they seem similar.
I had a 92 fun as hell, and no one knows what it is which makes it even cooler lol
@CC L. I would be a hottt chick
@@LOGICNREALITY Haha...good comeback...!
"for someone who wants a Mustang GT but doesn't want to fill the tank". (scratching head). They made 4 cyl Mustangs, John. lol
The GT wasn't a 4-cyclinder and the base engine was garbage and slow.
The Capri was engineered by Mazda (Ford’s Asia Pacific operation at that time WAS Mazda), powered by Mazda, and it competed with a Mazda.
As a miata owner, I admit this must have been a much better buy at this time of new when you compare features. But 3 things doomed this car. 1: FWD, 2: Soft suspension, 3: Soft, jiggly weak clutch & transmission
And it was ugly. It was all over the motoring press at the time that you wouldn't want to be seen in this car. The design was totally off, unbalanced and ungainly. It didn't have a prestige brand, it had no history and the design , and everything else you mentioned, doomed it.
If only the Miata had a little more room behind the driver so someone could lean the seat back for taking a nap or even lower the seat for tall drivers.
Of it's time but the MX5 (Miata) nailed the cheapo 2 seater market. This is a curio but would be very cool in in the U.K. 👍
I had one of these years ago with an automatic, I bought it used, and it was the biggest turd I ever owned. could barely get out of it's own way, leaked oil, all kinds of rattles and squeeks . it wasn't even that fun to drive being a front driver. The Miata was often imitated but never duplicated
Manual turbo. Why get an auto? Mine rides well w mo rattles and no problem..
WatchJRGo sent me here.
same brother
2:15 “...the steering wheel hhhrim.”
Lower it a bit and put some better wheels on and this would be a nice little summer car.
The Cubsport. Oz only I'm afraid.
Hey motorweek make a retro review on a 1991 corvette zr1
I remember these, they were horrible... FWD, strike 1. 4 cylinder, strike 2. Hideous design, strike 3. Ford should have kept the Mercury Capri as a sister car to the Mustang and made it more luxurious, like other Mercurys... Place it somewhere between the Mustang and the LSC. They already had the iconic bubble back on the fox based Capri's along with a unique front and rear fascia. Ford has an almost bottomless parts bin to reach into, this would have been easily done. I'm really not sure what the higher-ups were thinking during the 80's and early 90's...
Yeah, they dropped the Fox body Capri after the '86 model year.
I own one and its fun as like a toy. But i bought mine as a daily driver and that was a mistake, a lot more impracticable then you would think.
Cool
😀
Bud Bundy's favorite car.
I remember how the word 'Lemon' was closely associated with this car!
Are these videos old and uploaded now on CZcams? Or they review old cars on this channel?
These are old clips from the American TV show MotorWeek that started back in the early '80s and is still on the air today (with the same host!)
Strut tower bumps like the original Probe! 🙄
Is that the 1.6 turbo engine from the Mazda 323 GTX?
sure is, good, quick little motor for it's time. The 2004 MX-5 (Miata in the US market) was updated and released with a Turbo in about 2004 and had exactly the same B6T motor as in this Capri
@@ansett7687 Wrong... The 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata used a turbo BP (1.8L). The B6T had not been produced for years.
I would like to see a 1992 Lexus ES300
Granted...its turbo and all but...its FWD and many wouldn't want it while the miata is rwd and handles like a dream...this is like a boat
Mercury name did not help.
wrong wheel drive
RWD and 2 seater, this car could have been a classic like the Miata
thatallredheadude 1 EXACTLY
i had 4 of these.. All Junk
Uncle Chuckles why did you have 4 then?? lol i need answers please!!!!! lol
@@JDMHaze Well My mom had 1, I bought a second. Then my wife i bought one all within a year. and they all ended up being pretty crappy. 1 the engine blew at 57k Miles and i bought a 4th later in life for a spare car.
Uncle Chuckles Welp, like I said The car was kind of European-based and you know how well that goes
Anyone else heading to Ebay to do a search for one?
Lookup Capri Clubsport, the last and best Ford version
I checked Australia's carsales website. About 16 for sale with the highest price about USD $8000.00 for a 1994 Clubsprint. Not many survivors given they were everywhere in Australia in the nineties.
I bought 4 of them from Craigslist and one of them was less then two miles away so I had the previous owner drive it to my house.
I bought one that had real bad tires so I had the previous owner follow me to the shop and then drive me back to his house where my car was.
But my best XR2 was never on Craigslist because a friend told me he saw one for sale by a highway.
I have just purchased one of these this very day! Pick it up tomorrow arvo! I like the Capri but, being Aussie I guess its to be expected!
Laser with its top off
Still listening to casettes in 2019 Y or N
Quite a bizarre blue oval roadster.